Football Preview: Nottingham High School pumped up as season starts

There is no shortage of players at Nottingham High School, where 141 boys — 50 at the freshman level — have come out for football. The boom did leave head coach Jon Adams scrambling to find helmets during the first full week of fall camp.

There isn’t a lack of athletes, enthusiasm or expectations at Nottingham, either.

Adams makes it clear Nottingham believes it has the players to be a state-tournament qualifier. The Northstars were 6-4 last year — closing the season with wins in two of their last three games — and 9-0 on the junior varsity level.

“This team always seems to have potential, but this is the year I think we can actually live up to it,” said senior Jake Andrejcik, a two-way tackle. “We’ve come together as a team. We’ve worked hard, and those are all good signs. We have high expectations for ourselves.”

“As a team, we are more mature, and I think you will see we are more disciplined,” senior wide receiver Daviyon Davis said.

Nottingham will be tested early. The Northstars open Saturday with an improved Hightstown team and then play consecutive road games at rivals Trenton and Steinert.

“We told the kids from the first day of practice, we needed to get off to a good start if we wanted to make the playoffs,” Adams said. “But we have to be able to sustain it, too.”

Last year, Nottingham got off to a 3-1 start then sputtered.

“We need to develop a little more consistency on offense and defense,” Davis said.

Nottingham expects to be powerful on offense. While the Northstars lost record-setting quarterback Esayah Obado to graduation, they still have a formidable running back in 225-pound junior Wroway Williams.

Williams rushed for more than 800 yards last year and five touchdowns.

“He (Williams) is so strong, teams are going to have to gang-tackle him,” quarterback Luke Westerberg said. “He is going to be even better this year, because he understands the offense and knows how to run.”

“An arm-tackle isn’t going to bring Wroway down,” Davis said.

Westerberg and Stephen Adams, the son of the head coach, have been locked in a heated competition for the starting job under center. The loser of the quarterback duel will be moved to wide receiver.

“They’ve pushed each other from the first day of practice,” Jon Adams said. “We have depth at quarterback, and I am confident both kids can step in and run the offense.”
Nottingham’s success on offense will be determined by the play of a reconstructed offensive line.

Aaron Levinson, a 225-pound guard, and Aaron Camacho, a 205-pound tackle, are solid on the left side. The remainder of the starting line spots are up for grabs.

In attempt to get more out of the tight-end spot, 220-pound Zach Mesday has been moved from defensive end to tight end.

“The offensive line is our big question mark,” Adams said. “The entire season depends on how quickly those kids come together as a group.”

The defense will be better thanks to what the coaching staff believes is an improved secondary.

“It’s a big, physical group,” Adams said of the defensive backs.

The linebacking corps hold the key to the Northstars’ success, however.

McGovern Gabriel and Devin Thompson are experienced and reliable on the outside. Ryan Malagrino, a transfer from Steinert, brings experience to the middle. The coaching staff also thinks Josh Laguenesse will be a playmaker inside.

On the defensive line, Travys Brown and Mario Boswell are athletic but will need to be disciplined to be successful.

“This front seven may be as tough as any group we’ve had in quite some time,” Adams said.

“Last year, we had some players on defense who didn’t pay attention to detail,” Andrejcik said. “We’re trying to be precise on every play.”